Tamil civilian arrested in Puththa値am

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 May 2009, 09:05 GMT]Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police conducted several cordon and search operations since Thursday in Va地地aaththivi値値u and Paalaavi in Puththa値am district in which a Tamil civilian was taken into custody and hundreds of Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese civilians were interrogated, sources in Puththa値am said. Residents of the above places have been asked by the police to register themselves in their respective police stations immediately as these villages are located on the borders of Wilpattu sanctuary. Police sources said the measure has been taken to ensure that no strangers infiltrate these villages.

35 men and 62 women of all three communities were subjected to severe interrogation in Va地地aaththivi値値u where 35 houses were searched.

One Tamil civilian was arrested in the operation.

In Paalaavi 74 men and 67 women were taken in for questioning and eighteen houses were searched during the operation.

This was the first time cordon and search operation was conducted in these villages, civil sources said.

All three communities living in the villages have been warned by the police not to accommodate any strangers in their houses